Chapter 6: Trusting God
An excerpt from You Have Chosen to Remember: A Journey of Self-Awareness, Peace of Mind and Joy by James Blanchard Cisneros.
Lily Tomlin once said: “Why is it that when we talk to God we’re said to be praying, but when God talks to us we’re schizophrenic?”
Do you trust God? If you were asked this question, your immediate response would probably be, “Yes, I do trust God.” If you were also asked: Do you ever worry? Your answer would probably be, “Yes, I worry sometimes.” My friend, allow me to say that if you truly trust God, then you would never worry. If you choose to worry in any situation then know that you are not fully trusting in God.
Trust God or worry. These are the two choices that we have in every situation. Trust God and be at peace. Worry and experience stress. Our choices are that simple, and we make our lives as peaceful or stressful as we choose to make them. Trust God and be at peace. This is all that is asked of us. Yet, over and over again, we choose worry over trust, and make our lives a living hell.
Our level of peace is directly related to our level of trust in God. The more we trust God, the more peace we experience. The less we trust God, the less peace we experience. If we choose to completely trust God, then stress will not be a part of our experiences. If we experience any level of stress, it is because we have chosen not to fully trust God.
You might be trying to convince yourself that you can trust God and worry at the same time. Yet, my friend, if you consider the irrationality of that possibility, you may reconsider your thinking. How could you fully trust the Creator of the universe with a specific event in your life and also worry that He is not carrying it out with your best interest in mind? You could say that the Creator does not have your best interest in mind and therefore you are worried, but somewhere deep within, you know that this is not so. How could the father of peace, happiness, kindness and love have anything but your best interest in mind? It is this that you need to remember when you experience worry or stress in any situation.
In her book, “The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life,” Hannah Whitehall Smith writes:
15 And remember, there are two things that are more utterly incompatible than even oil and water, and these two are trust and worry. Would you call it trust if you should give something into the hands of a friend to attend for you and then spend your nights and days in anxious thought and worry as to whether it would be rightly and successfully done? And can you call it trust, when you have given the saving and keeping of your soul into the hands of the Lord, if day after day, and night after night you are spending hours of anxious thought and questionings about the matter? When a believer really trusts anything, he ceases to worry about that thing which he has trusted. And when he worries, it is plain proof that he does not trust.
15. Hannah Whitehall Smith, The Christian’s Secrets of a Happy Life, Copyright 1999 (Baker Book House).
This text can be found in the book - You Have Chosen to Remember: A Journey of Self-Awareness, Peace of Mind and Joy.
If you enjoyed this, you'll really enjoy the book which is filled with inspiration and effective strategies for letting go of anger, forgiving, and embodying peace of mind and happiness.
Click here to purchase the book.
If you can not afford to buy the book but would like to read it, please click here.
[…] 6 of the book: Trusting God explores trusting God in-depth, and provides great strategies and tools for letting go of worry, […]
I am currently going through a very difficult time. I recently read Perfect Trust by Charles Swindol and I am learning to trust God. I found the excerpt reading wonderful and encouraging. It was just what I needed and exactly what I was looking for. I am going to Trust God through this situation of turbulance and uncertainty; I already have more peace by simply professing that “I will trust GOD.
I love this. I just wanted to share something that my Pastor at Living Hope Church did one weekend. It was Four simple words, ASK – ACT – EXPECT – FINISH.
I repeat these over and over when I begin to fall short of trusting God. The lesson was this…. Ask God by praying to Him. Act faithfully on His response. Expect His blessings and Finish well. So I took this into my heart in times of worrying. I have recently walked out of a 9 year relationship that I Asked God in prayer about. “What do You want me to do God?” I am afraid of being alone. God told me that I have to leave. He told me He would provide me with what I was going to need to do this and He did because I Acted faithfully by accepting His direction for me. I am still single with my 3 teenage daughters but this was what God told me I had to do and so I did. Expecting His Blessings was more then I ever imagined. He has blessed me with so many friends and a church that continues to help me hear God so that in the end I will Finish well with God and He will open His kingdom to me. It is not easy. In fact it is rather difficult at times, but I keep telling myself, Ask, Act, Expect and Finish and then I begin to feel Gods arms wrapping around me. We are not perfect, but the glorious thing is that God does understand this and He takes our hands and even carries us thru some hard trials that we face, but Trusting in Him is the only means of true peace in our lives.
I trust in God, But sometimes is so hard to go on day by day without any dout. Don,t get me wrong God have don great things in my life. When i look back in my life the only thing that con trully can say to God is thank you for what he has done for me in my life.God has been in my life from when i was a kid. God have save me so many time that it can be only God that can be thir for me that many time and not to give up on me.For anyone that is out there do not for one second think you are all alone, Take it from me God is allways with you. Thank you for this site may God be with you all out htere.
Why is it so many struggle with the “Trust” but are so quick and find it easy to “Believe”? Standing and looking over the majestic Niagra Falls I noticed a “high wire” had been placed high above the Falls streching from the US to Canada. The Person next to me explained that God was going to push a wheel barrel all the way across the Falls on this high wire… Do you “BELIEVE” that God could accomplish this highly dangerous act I was asked… Absolutely I replied, God can do anything!! Do You “TRUST” God I was asked… “Yes” I replied… Then would you be willing to sit in the wheel barrel??
How about You…
Would you be willing to sit in the wheel barrel??
“Do not be concerned. I am standing over you. Nothing can take the control from My hands but you. Resist the urge to strive. Be diligent to rest. Resting is knowing I will care for you. Resting is trusting in Me. Having faith in My ability. Resting is not being anxious, casting all care on Me. Seek My peace. When you are troubled, come to Me. Bring your cares to Me. I will give you My word and understanding. when you receive them, you will be able to cast your cares on Me. You will then be allowing my peace to reign in your heart. You choose. Take My word or take your doubts. You choose. When you do, take a firm hold and hold fast. Being tossed about will only tire you. Stand fast, I say. Reason weakens a man, but by the wisdom of God, he is strengthened. Walk in My counsel. Deny your thoughts and follow My words. Consider this: If a man is torn on his walk, he makes no progression, for progress can only be when he has unity within himself. With unity, having one purpose, comes direction, determination. Progress is swift. Labour not under the burden of indecision. Prisoners are set free in Me. Those who have chosen Me above all else are made free, to walk wherever they choose, to speak to whomever they meet. They are no longer theatened, no longer fearful, no longer in bonds. There is peace in freedom. There is security in freedom. There is assuredness in freedom. There is quiet courage, strength in freedom. Freedom in Me.”
It is our humans basic instinct is being troubled now a day “trusting God” were in worries there, the Bible teaches us to prepare ourself in the mids of trouble. God understand our weakneses He teach us to make our life more meaningful, let us understand that were in His Plan we go in the prosses of sanctifications of our life to God be the glory. What ever we do do it in the glory of God, we share on His sacrifices on the cross…
I am trying to best of my ability to have faith in gods will but this tak is so diffucult you have ignored gods will for soo long and you try to practice your will but every time you do chaos the chap really touched base on what i am going thur presently it is infidelity w/ my fiancee’ thank you for your words of inspiration
I believe it is not only the praying about the “wanting” peace, it is the “knowing” that it is there, this is the trust. By knowing that it is present (even if you need to “make belief”) your mind doesn’t need to worry whether you can trust or not, it is a given.
I struggle with trusting God. There are times when I feel I do, but then I start to worry. I keep praying. I do know when I am feeling peaceful is when I am not worrying about something. In looking back on my life I realize he has carried me through many storms. I pray everyday for peace and serenity. So it was very helpful to see in writing the connection between worry and lack of peace. This really looks like a great book.